CATHOLIC leaders and pro-life groups have voiced their deep disappointment after the Senate passed a bill stripping the Federal Health Minister of his powers to veto the abortion drug RU486.
After two days of personal stories and a rare conscience vote, senators supported a private members’ bill, voting by 45 to 28 on February 9 to transfer the minister’s powers to the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
Cardinal George Pell of Sydney said on February 14 the health risks to women could not be airbrushed out of existence.
Cardinal Pell said 87 per cent of Australians supported finding ways to reduce the numbers of abortions.
Queensland Bioethics Centre director Ray Campbell said he was disappointed more notice was not taken of the Senate committee report into RU486.
Perth archdiocese’s Respect Life Office executive director Clare Pike said many senators had bought into the illusory rhetoric of choice and neglected the harm of RU486.
Miss Pike said she remained confident that eventually the harm of abortion to women would become more widely known as more Australian post-abortive women spoke out.
Australian Catholic Students Association acting president Aaron Russell said the issue of RU486 was one that united young people irrespective of religious affiliation or belief.
Queensland secretary of the World Federation of Doctors who Respect Human Life, Dr David van Gend said the argument at the heart of opposition to the bill was that the very limited TGA criteria of “safety and efficacy” were inadequate for considering the ethical, cultural, legal significance of a chemical used to take innocent human life.
